We Bought a House!

Posted by Matt on June 08 at 02:29 pm

Our New Home!

I briefly mentioned this in my “Matt Needs Help Beading” post, but my wife and I have been house hunting for awhile. After 2 realtors, 50 viewings, and 4 offers, we’ve finally found our house! We close this Wednesday at 10 a.m.

We’re obviously really excited about it. It’s a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1447 square foot colonial with a full basement. It’s nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac and the neighborhood seems really nice. It comes with all of the appliances and a gas fireplace. It’s way more of house than I ever would’ve imagined for being our first.It was built in 2002, but it hasn’t been lived in for two years. So, the yard is in horrible condition and there are some minor cosmetic updates that need to be done before we can truly enjoy our new home. What was once well-crafted landscaping is now a mix of overgrown shrubs and weeds. The lawn consists of dandelions with grub-infested crab grass. It looks like there used to be sod, but the grubs, or something, has ruined it.

Here’s the Honey-Do list that my wife has so lovingly crafted for me us:

The lawn: This is probably the biggest and most rewarding project that we have to work on this summer. I’ve been reading up on how to keep a beautiful lawn, but I have no idea on how to restart a lawn after years of neglect.

Paint the living room, dining room and the kitchen: We’ve already picked out colors for those rooms, so the fun part is over. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind painting, it’s just one of those things that can get expensive if you’re not careful.

Weed the garden: I really enjoy gardening. I’ve been gardening with my Mom since I can remember, so I can’t wait to get my hands dirty in my own soil. Speaking of “Gardens,” isn’t there a new Lima feature launching tomorrow?

Clean the bird doo-doo off of the siding: Some birds have been nesting in our attic vents and trim, so they’ve made a mess of my siding. If only I could charge them for room and board.

Level the patio: There’s a patio attached to the back of the house, which is nice, but they must not have packed the ground good enough before they poured the cement. Since the patio is actually attached to the house, it’s pulling some of the siding as it’s falling to one side. I think it’s probably done falling, but I’d like to level it without cracking.

Not a very hefty list, but unfortunately, a lot of these things won’t just happen overnight. It’s going to take a lot of time, hard work and dedication, but it will totally be worth it when it’s over.

If you have any tips or advice that might help me in my homeownership, please post them in the comments below. Wish us luck!

Oh, congratulations!! This is an exciting time Owning a house is a lot of work….. But, well worth it! Glad to hear you are going to have a “Garden”. HAHA My husband takes such pride in our lawn. He also has it looking so nice and neat. I don’t know how much advice I have, but one thing I love about our house is the colors. Don’t be afraid to go colorful.

Matt, congragulations to you and your wife on finding this house, it looks lovely – even with that “honey do” list you show above!!! Such a wonderful milestone to be able to find one you can afford and that has all the features you wanted in a home too… not easy to do in this tough economy!
And thank you for sharing the news and pics w/ us!!!

Congratulations to both of you!!!
2 realtors, 50 showings and 4 offers!!! Holy Cow!
I can imagine your relief now that you are HOME!!
Enjoy the gardening!! It can be a great stress relief from all the other “honey do’s”!!! But they can be fun too.

This is an amazing time for you two! So much to do and even though it’s a lot of work, you’ll be so satisfied as you see it come together – becoming not just a house, but a home!
I’m so happy for you both!!!

Congratulations on your new home. One thing to remember is to tackle one job at a time because if you try to do too many things at one time, it can get overwhelming. Leveling the patio should be the first thing to do, for safety sake. This is a sunny day job. A good rainy day job is the painting. Hope this helps. One more thing, work together the rest of your life, it is much more fun that way. Congratulations on your wedding also. If you need any advice on restarting your lawn, Google it. They usually always have a site somewhere that can help.

Hey! So very happy & excited for both of you. You will LOVE being in your new home & there will always be something to do especially now that ya’ll have a few things to take care of. Just remember “it’s a work in progress” & try to do “one thing @ a time” just like 3KCHICK says. Ya’ll can always go to Lowe’s or Home Depot Garden Centers & they can give you a lot of tips on everything! Much happiness to both of you!

Congratulations on your new home!!! What an exciting and busy time in your life together! You’ve already received lots of good advice, so I’ll just add this — Always remember what brought you together in the first place. Your love for each other can get you through some crazy times! So says the voice of experience.

Congratulations on your very first home! I remember how exciting it was to move from an old run-down apartment to our very first home. We had purchased a nice lot, tore down an existing dilapidated house by hand, and built a new home by hand (OK, I was mostly the goffer).

About those birds, I’ve found that spraying a blend of dish soap and water (60/50 soap/water) on the eaves and trim will keep the birds from building nests. It may need to be done more than once a year, but it’s a ‘green’ way to keep the birds away.

Best of luck on your honey-do jobs and please remember to show before and after photos to us nosey people!

Matt, you have just achieved a big milestone. Bask in the glow for a few, and then make lists!!!
My husband and I inherited a family home which we love. It was the perfect time for us to downsize, from a 5 bedroom,/4 bath, really sprawled out home (that grew with us) to a 3BR/2bath. Once he added on my studio, I have been very happy here!
We owned both places, so were able to do a complete rehab, painting, flooring, lighting, etc. before moving in. (Be sure to check that your vents are clean, esp. if you have any allergy problms-time well spent).
Our yard was also a mess, due to years of neglect, and we are working on it by sections. The front is pretty good now; the back is in progress.
You probably know this, but really consider maximun size when you bring home those pretty shrubs and trees. With any luck, they WILL grow.
Yoou can go to a home center or a good local garden center. The local county extension agent can also be a good resource, about viable plantings and pest control.
Keep us posted. And best wishes.

congrats to you and your wife as far as your to do list goes…. well… there will always be a to do list… just part of homeownership just don’t let it overwhelm & keep a positive attitude and it will get done bit by bit

The local chapter of Master Gardeners can help with expert advice too- Google it to find the chapter closest to you. They’re nice volunteers who love to help folks with their gardens (my Mum is one in Vermont)

Congrats to both of you. Here’s my advice to you. Do your outside work first…act like you are having fun…I mean, a really good time. Then, hopefully, some of the neighbors may stop by and join in on the fun…remember Tom Sawyer.

Congratulations Matt and welcome to your new home! I know it seems overwhelming and I echo the “one job at a time” advice. Try DIY network for additional tips. They have everything! I know your list looks short now but just wait she hasn’t really finished it yet! LOL! My husband’s gets renewed frequently! Have fun with your new project. We are here to support you!

Congratulations on the house. Painting is simple and cheap, just stay low tech. I highly recommend a five gallon bucket, a metal screen and a roller. Just add blue painters tape, a small brush and a cheap plastic tarp and your ready. Oh and don’t try and cut corners by not washing the walls. Lazy prep is usually where the job goes wrong.

Congratulations on your new house. Happy for the both of you. I won’t give you any tips because I’m not a handy woman but don’t exhausted yourself into getting everything fixed right away. All in time…little by little!

Congrats.Matt,watch HGTV you and your wife will discover so many affordable ways to decorate your home and yard.also pray it helps lol.remember watch HGTV the two of you will be hooked.you all have great taste. Good luck,and God bless you both! From Adriane

Congrats on the new house!! It looks like it’s in a very nice, quiet neighborhood and the house is like a giant blank canvas that you can spill your creativity onto. How exciting and fun!!! Congrats again and get to work on that Honey-Do List! LOL JK

Hey Matt! congratulations and lots of luck! You will only have one first home, they are special!
My advice: Remember ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’? “Pick one room
and make it yours.
Go slowly through the house.
Be polite, introduce yourself,
so it can introduce itself
to you.”
Or, power tools, fertilizer and TLC should do the trick!

Congrats on your new home! My husband and I just built our first home last summer! Wow its a lot of work, but well worth it! We’re still not finished, but having a good time! LOL My husband is very handy with everything,(he amazes me!) so we are able to do a lot of the work ourselves! Best wishes to you both!!! We now consider ourselves home after living in 3 different places! And you will too!

I wasn’t a member at the time you bought your house…but reading your description & the honey do list…I know by now this has all been accomplished! Nothing like owning your home, alot of work but worth it! How’s the garden,can you post some pics? When I’m not beading, I’m in the garden or on your website! So many pick ideas come from the garden! Anyway, Congrats on your “new” home!